Current vice president Henry Van Thio’s financial reports indicate he spent more than 7 million kyats (US$5,194) on his re-election campaign this year.

On November 8, Henry Van Thio ran for an Upper House parliamentary seat in Chin State’s Constituency 10 in Thantlang Township, representing the National League for Democracy (NLD).

Henry Van Thio won the seat, beating Sheng Lian Hmung of the Union Solidarity and Development Party and Van Mun Lian of the Chin National League for Democracy.

According to Cho Khaing Oo, secretary of the Hakha District Election Commission, Henry Van Thio spent 7,146,890 kyats on his campaign and submitted his election expense report on November 18.

Sheng Lian Hmung spent 9,681,500 kyats ($7,184) on his campaign and Van Mun Lian spent 8,250,000 kyats ($6,122) respectively, Cho Khaing Oo said.

Candidates are allowed to spend 10 million kyats ($7,421) on their campaigns, according to Burma’s election law, and have to submit their expense reports within 30 days of the vote.

Cho Khaing Oo said that all 32 electoral candidates who ran for election in Chin State’s Hakha District had submitted their expense reports to the local commission.

According to Article 84 of the election law, if a candidate fails to submit their election expenses to their respective election commission on time, the candidate is blacklisted from future elections.